One hundred eighty‐two newly emergedM. sutorbeetles, originating from central and northern Sweden, were allowed to feed on branch sections of Scots pine,Pinus sylvestrisL., and Norway spruce,Picea abies(L.) Karst., for two to six weeks. Twenty‐two of these beetles transmitted the nematodeBursaphelenchus mucronatusMamiya and Enda 1979, to the branches they were feeding on. After two weeks of feeding, 63M. sutormale‐female pairs were allowed access to bolts of Scots pine and Norway spruce, suitable for oviposition, for three weeks. Seven of these pairs transmittedBursaphelenchus mucronatusto the bolts of both tree species.